Dilution of equity position tarnishes school’s tradition

South Burlington schools have enjoyed a tradition of excellence since they were established in 1961. The community historically approves the school budget and takes pride in the academic and athletic success of the students. City officials promote the schools as a means of attracting business and new residents. The school’s logo, “Building a Proud Tradition,” is emblazoned on the entrance to the high school.

De-Dee Loftin-Davis was hired as the director of diversity, equity and inclusion in July 2022. The very nature of the job is difficult. It requires changing entrenched attitudes and stereotypes. The director is responsible for initiating, reviewing and evaluating programs regarding race, gender, sexual orientation and women’s matters. Many of these topics are sensitive, some are controversial, all are important.

Two examples of controversial subjects are institutional racism and white supremacy. Her clients include students, administrators, teachers, support staff within the district and the community at large.

Her qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a year of advanced studies in behavioral sciences at Lincoln University. In 2019 she was named Lincoln University’s Woman of Change for outstanding service in Racial Equity Training and Change Management. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of racial equity.

News of her appointment was enthusiastically met by many in the community. In recent years, the South Burlington School District has, with the Rebel name change and a teacher’s ill-advised joke about lynching, experienced its share of racial turmoil. Having appointed a highly qualified woman of color as director of equity and inclusion was viewed as a positive step.

At its March 8 meeting, the school board discussed the need for social emotional learning. The district’s website explains that “Social Emotional Learning (SEL) reveals that those with the highest SEL needs have lowest academic proficiency. The students impacted are students with disabilities, English language learners, and Black/African American and multi-racial students.”

Social emotional learning focuses on improving these students’ academic proficiency.

The minutes from the meeting indicated that chairman Alex McHenry recommended the creation of a position, held by an educator, to help students meet social emotional learning and diversity, equity and inclusion goals. During the discussion, board member Chelsea Tillinghast explained that full-time position has “not been added, but the Executive Director of Equity position is RIFd (Reduction in Force) and a new position is being created.” The board then voted unanimously to create a social, emotional, learning equity position, who will be an educator.

Loftin-Davis does not have a Vermont teaching license. This means she will be out of a job at the end of the school year.

I have reviewed the minutes of the following 2023 school board meetings: Feb. 1, Feb. 15, March 8 and March 22. The meetings focus on the need for social emotional learning. What isn’t discussed is how diversity, equity and inclusion programs initiated by Loftin-Davis will be affected.

There was no discussion on how this change would affect students who have come to rely on and trust Loftin-Davis. There were no negative comments recorded regarding the quality of her performance. No negative comments by the public appear in the minutes. What has been said in the executive sessions is, of course, unknown. But the absence of any derogatory comments about Loftin-Davis’s performance is notable.

Her job description contains seven essential duties and responsibilities, including providing leadership for the district, collaboration with principals and administrators, reviewing and interpreting state and federal policies working in the community, developing strategies for recruiting, retaining and supporting staff of color, and so on. In addition, it requires computer literacy, effective language skills, and more. To perform these duties effectively would require some staff. None was provided. At the Sept. 8, 2022, meeting, I addressed the lack of administrative support and asked the board to provide Loftin-Davis with necessary staff. No additional staff was provided.

The March 22 board minutes contain comments from South Burlington residents. Monica Otsby wanted assurances that the new position would be filled by September. She expressed concerns about how students will be told about Loftin-Daviss’ removal.

Susan Schoenfeld made a comment that the board needed to be aware of the red flag that the elimination of the diversity, equity and inclusion position creates in terms of attracting diverse staff. David Shiman, a member of the South Burlington Education and Equity Collective read a letter expressing that group’s concerns that the equity, anti-racism part of the position would get subsumed by the newly created social emotional learning position.

The letter also “requested the School Board publish a written statement committing to an active equity/anti-racism effort and that the superintendent develop and present to the board an equity/anti-racism plan to include goals, budget, staffing, teacher training, data collection, administrative support, and quarterly progress reports to the board.”

In addition, the collective requested information on the board’s plan to provide support for the ongoing programs initiated by Loftin-Davis. Finally, it requested the board make every effort to find a person of color to fill the newly created social emotional learning position.

At the Nov. 22 meeting, Superintendent Violet Nichols acknowledged Loftin-Davis’s work and publicly thanked her. She went on to say that she is invited to apply for the new position. At best, I find this comment to be disingenuous. The superintendent approved adding the educator requirement for the new position and is well aware that Loftin-Davis does not meet the qualifications.

I have been asked if the creation of the new position was a ploy to get rid of Loftin-Davis. My reply is that only the board and the leadership of the district can answer that question. What the future will bring is uncertain. One thing is certain. The “proud tradition” has been tarnished.

Robert L. Walsh lives in South Burlington.